Richie Discovers a Savior

Memories of Aly’s abusive army husband when he was on leave with them contrasted with this man’s concern for his daughter’s welfare and his obvious commitment to those he loved. It would be nice to have a man like that to share her lonely load, and she wondered if he was lonely too or too absorbed in his work like her former husband had been. In an unguarded moment she spoke what was going through her mind.

“How would you like to come to our place for meals each evening Richie with Naomi. She’s like my third daughter now and you’ve asked me to keep her here until you get home anyway which I’m delighted to do. As a matter of fact, I don’t mind if you give her to me to look after as my own knowing how hard it must be for you to be both father and mother and provide for her future. You don’t have much time to prepare after working in town all day at a stressful corporate level and I’d be happy to organize that for you.”

At first Richie felt upset at the idea of being separated from his daughter wondering if she was questioning his commitment to his child. Obviously, the Goldberg’s were trying to take her from him and now this? Then he realized Aly was only trying to be hospitable and he thought he liked her for that and he shouldn’t be insulted. The responsibility he had for Naomi was overwhelming and he realized how little of his time he was able to give her.

His emotions thinking of his inadequacy as a single father were overwhelming and he paused chopping spring onions and let the tears run down his face. Aly realizing how what she’d said could be misinterpreted waited for an angry response but saw the tears he was trying to hide and her woman’s sympathies were aroused. She too had felt her inadequacies in not being able to substitute for a father in the home. She wiped her hands on her apron and sped over to comfort him, and they cried together as they embraced. When they’d managed to control their feelings, they moved apart embarrassed and each said sorry together. That broke the spell and they returned to their side of the deck to continue preparation for the meal. Little did they know that three girls had come to the kitchen to check on progress of their meal as they were hungry and stood in amazement as they saw their parents in an embrace then fled to the lounge and sat in silence waiting and processing what they’d seen in their minds. Then Steph spoke.

“I hope that means we are going to get a father in the home.”

Naomi spoke.

“I want to be your real sister.”

The issue with Goldbergs was clarified next day at the department store when Richie’s irate secretary came into his office to say a James Goldberg was insisting on seeing him and would not go away despite being told Richie’s morning was taken up already with appointments many already sitting in the waiting room for their turn at a meeting. Richie left his office to confront his father-in-law in the interview room and insist that he was unable to cancel on those in the waiting room and could they meet at lunch time, but the old man refused to budge and followed him into his office. The secretary inquired if she should request security and Richie said no, he’d handle the situation and to apologize to those waiting outside curious at the confrontation. Richie sat and turned to his father-in-law.

“You are to cease troubling my daughter who you never liked anyway, and I’ve instructed security at the school to see my daughter is escorted to her bus and watched until the bus departs. Someone at the other end has been instructed to keep her safe on arrival at Silver Cascade. If you try any further harassment, I’ll have a restraining order placed on you and mother-in-law.”

James Goldberg was initially taken back by this purposeful warning. He was usually the one to control the room, but he soon recovered.

“Without a mother in the home for Naomi I can establish a case for neglect of child and you will lose her I’ll see to that. What is past is past. We now realize we have no one in the family to take over the firm when we pass on so she needs to be prepared in her studies for a career in law and eventual takeover of our law practice. Her surname will be changed to Goldberg. Either you cooperate with us in her education or we’ll see you never have access to her again as a negligent father. I’m giving you a week to reverse those instructions given to the school or you’ll be in court and lose any contact with the child. We are powerful enough to do that.”

James Goldberg exited the office feeling he was now back in control and repeated his warning on the way out.

Richie indicated his secretary should send the next appointment in and apologize to them for the delay. The morning went quickly and Richie prepared himself for his usual rounds of the departments to watch what was happening see what improvements could be implemented and appraise each person for their possible advancement to be reported to head office in New York. But the morning activities had unsettled him, and he knew he needed professional advice from lawyers of equal reputation to the Goldbergs. But before he did that, he wanted to find someone to talk it over with and thought of Aly and her empathy last evening. She was a qualified counsellor. On impulse he phoned her and she reacted in surprise to hear from him during the day. He needed to have someone he trusted to bounce ideas off before approaching lawyers. Did she have time for him this afternoon and he’d be happy to pay for her time? Aly had counselling booked through the afternoon and paused to think quickly. She resolved to cancel her appointments and reschedule. So asked where they should meet. He asked if he could come to her house to talk and she said yes, a feeling of excitement she didn’t understand coming over her.

Richie decided for his second in command in training to take over and sped to Silver Cascade to meet with the only one he knew who he could bounce ideas off and know it would be in strict confidence as she was a counselling consultant along with her art therapy. He was happy to pay for her time. Aly motioned for him to come to her counselling office on arrival and waited for him to speak. He quickly outlined what had happened that morning and his plans to seek legal counsel but wanted to get her thoughts before he proceeded. Aly looked at him and considered his dilemma. He certainly did need a high-powered lawyer to protect him and his daughter from these powerful people, but what were his options. Counselling was her career, but this required more than that however she did think of something. The premise of Goldberg’s argument was the girl was neglected because Richie had little time to give his daughter and as he had no wife the girl was vulnerable. This would be thrown out in court if he were to be married and there was a wife to care for the child when Richie was not able to be there for her. She’d been doing that, but they were not married so in a court of law that did not count. He needed to be married and that would solve the problem. She turned to Richie and blurted out what was on her mind.

“I’m already caring for Naomi when you are at work so if we were married, they wouldn’t have a case, but you are both grieving for Eva so unfortunately that would not be desirable would it?”

Richie sat up and stared at her.

“Aly I’d be the happiest man in the world to be married to you but that wouldn’t be fair as you don’t love me, I don’t want you to be in a loveless marriage just to solve Naomi’s problem because you love her as a daughter.”

Aly Miles looked him over for a long time and the more she looked the more she felt he’d make a wonderful father to her girls, and she had this funny feeling in her chest every time she looked at him so perhaps, she did love him. She certainly would like to have him as a husband and felt it would be good for both families. She spoke finally.

“Richie, am I going to have to ask you to marry me or are you going to take a chance on me because I think I really do love you and am prepared to live with the fact you haven’t got Eva out of your system yet.”

Richie shook his head in amazement. Aly was serious!

“Aly would you give me the pleasure of being my wife. I certainly would love you and would pull out all stops to prove that to you and your girls each day. I’d give up my job for you even though it brings me satisfaction if they called me to head office in New York which I hear through the grapevine is in the works, but Naomi and you would hate it there and so would I.”

Aly smiled happily.

“It’s the best decision of my life to say yes to you Richie I messed up the first time but am sure of this and now I can’t wait for us to be together. I have the afternoon off so can we go to Parkerville and get a wedding ring and wedding licence. I don’t want to go through all that wedding stuff and would like that settled so we can announce it to the kids this evening. I suspect they’ll be happy. We can sort out where we’ll all live together later. It’s going to take some adjustments to housing for that to happen but you’re going to stay with me tonight, no more separation not even temporarily.”

They got into Richie’s car and sped to town first of all to a jewellers to select a wedding ring and Richie insisted on an engagement ring as well carefully placing it on her finger then to  get a marriage licence showing necessary documents and completing the formalities before the appointed representative of the government before the ceremony of placing the wedding ring as a token of his love. It was exhausting but they were excited to be married and shopped around for gifts to give to each girl when they arrived home to hear the news. As Aly had suspected the teens were overjoyed to hear the news and Steph and Carolyn clung to Richie while Naomi hugged her new mother. Aly spoke to Richie and Naomi.

“Hurry home and pack a suitcase as you are moving to this place tonight and we’ll figure out how to handle the accommodation issue tomorrow. Naomi you’ll sleep in the guest room until we can sort accommodation out.”

Next morning Aly and Richie emerged from their bedroom flushed and wrapped around each other and Aly went to rouse the kids one by one and get them ready for school. She was surprised to find they’d all slept in Steph’s room that night in their excitement and were sleepy as they headed for the bus excited at what had happened to bring two families together so suddenly. But they were strictly warned not to share the news with teachers or classmates as this was to be a legal battle for Naomi, they didn’t want the Goldberg’s to know about this marriage in advance. Hard as it was the teenagers kept silent even though they were very excited to be one family now.

Aly cancelled appointments for the next two days and took Richie’s keys to inspect the Fisher home. It was quite large and had a basement that went the full length of the home largely unused There were four bedrooms the main one quite spacious. The housekeeper arrived surprised to find someone in the home with notepad and measuring tape. Last evening’s meal was in the frig waiting to be warmed up when her benefactor arrived home as usual with his daughter to care for and she puzzled about that but said nothing other than inquire if there was anything this woman suddenly appearing on her horizon wanted in the home. Aly smiled knowing they’d have to keep their secret for a while from the people in though from experience she knew the people of the village seemed to have hidden microphones in each house as the business of one was the business of all. Best not to give this woman any information to spread around so she just observed she was doing some work for Mr. Fisher while he was at work as he was contemplating alterations.

This house was closer to the village so perhaps it would be better to operate her business from here as it had all the possibilities of being good for that. They’d make alterations to her existing home to accommodate everyone’s needs and provide night offices for the newly married couple and a computer room for the girls along with work desks. Bathrooms were ample in her existing home though they could use a guest bathroom for visitors. The basement was more spacious than her lecture room. The kitchen would stay for kids arriving for lessons in art and needing their customary pre class treats. The family room would serve as a display room for her art for sale. The main bedroom would be great for individual counselling room. Lounge and dining room would be ok for a waiting room. That left three bedrooms with walk in closets for office work and perhaps a ceramic display room and one for whatever she thought she’d need later.

The ceramic workshop would have to stay in her home until she thought of a way to move it here. Perhaps the garage could function as a ceramic workshop. That would make her present living home spacious for whatever the new enlarged family voted for this evening when she made this report to Richie and the girls. She had the happiest of feelings as she contemplated the rest of her life with this lovely man and her new daughter.

To be continued.

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